1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to building air inlets and more particularly pertains to a new building ventilation air inlet assembly for providing an adjustable venting assembly to permit automatic inlet of air.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of building air inlets is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,119 describes a device with pivoted valve plates and a cable for selectively opening the valve plates. Further, counterweights attached to the valve plates are stopped by physically contacting an incrementally adjustable valve plate stop assembly. Another type of building air inlets is U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,391 having hinged doors biased into a closed position by springs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,679 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,852 also show an air inlet having a door biased by a spring. U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,656 discloses a vertically oriented pivoting door to permit air flow into a room based on negative air pressure within the room. U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,805 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,159,090 show air inlets utilizing ball valve type inlets. U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,086 discloses an attic access hatch incorporating air venting structure.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for an air inlet that is easily adjusted and provides improved ability to restrict opening of valve plates or doors. Additionally, use of polystyrene and foam provides enhanced aesthetic value, lessens cost, and provides a more easily adjusted system by reducing weight of the valve plates or doors.
The present invention meets the needs presented above by providing an adjustable length lanyard having one end coupled to the valve plate and another end coupled to a housing fitted to the building. A clip member is positionable at a selectable position anywhere along an end portion of the lanyard to restrict opening of the valve plate. Further, the invention utilizes polystyrene and foam to provide sturdy yet lightweight valve plates.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new building ventilation air inlet assembly that opens only upon a condition of having negative air pressure within a room.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new building ventilation air inlet assembly that physically and directly restricts motion of the valve plates to permit adjustment to any desired maximum opening position of the valve plates.
Still even another object of the present invention is to position the valve plate stopping lanyard and clip member to permit quick and easy two hand adjustment of the effective length of the valve plate stop lanyard by either opening of the valve plate to a desired maximum opening position or pulling the lanyard to until the valve plate is set at the desired maximum opening position.
To this end, the present invention generally comprises a housing, an air opening extending through the housing, a valve plate pivotally coupled to the housing for selectively covering the air opening, an adjustable valve counterweight coupled to the valve plate for biasing the valve plate into a closed position, and a valve plate stop lanyard coupled between the valve plate and the housing for restricting opening of the valve plate. The valve plate stop lanyard includes a clip member for permitting adjustment of the effective length of the valve plate stop lanyard.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.